FC Zurich won the 286th Zurich derby against GC 2:1

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FC Zurich is the new leader after the 2-1 win against Grasshoppers. He scores unexpected goals while the opponents are already involved in the relegation battle. GC coach Marco Schällibaum says he was not nice to his players during the break.

<img alt="Antonio Marchesano (right) celebrates with Juan José Perea after scoring the goal to make it 2-0 for FCZ.” data-nzz-tid=”article-image” width=”7471″ height=”4981″ src=”https://img.nzz.ch/2024/10/19/126d2e7d-1374-4d5b-a3c5-65d627723101.jpeg?width=654&height=436&fit=bounds&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=7471,4981,x0,y0″ loading=”eager” srcset=”https://img.nzz.ch/2024/10/19/126d2e7d-1374-4d5b-a3c5-65d627723101.jpeg?width=680&height=453&fit=bounds&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=7471,4981,x0,y0 680w, https://img.nzz.ch/2024/10/19/126d2e7d-1374-4d5b-a3c5-65d627723101.jpeg?width=1360&height=907&fit=bounds&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=7471,4981,x0,y0 1360w, https://img.nzz.ch/2024/10/19/126d2e7d-1374-4d5b-a3c5-65d627723101.jpeg?width=327&height=218&fit=bounds&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=7471,4981,x0,y0 327w, https://img.nzz.ch/2024/10/19/126d2e7d-1374-4d5b-a3c5-65d627723101.jpeg?width=654&height=436&fit=bounds&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=7471,4981,x0,y0 654w” class=”image-placeholder__image” style=”cursor:pointer;transform:scale(1);”/>

Antonio Marchesano (right) celebrates with Juan José Perea after scoring the goal to make it 2-0 for FCZ.

Christian Beutler / Keystone

It’s been a strange Super League season with stories and developments that no one would have expected. Last Saturday evening is the best proof of this. In a sold-out Wankdorf Stadium, league champions YB beat FC Luzern 2-1 in front of 31,500 spectators; At the same time, FCZ won the Zurich derby against GC 2-1 in front of almost 20,000 visitors – and took over the top of the table.

Curiosities are part of the Swiss entertainment superseries these weeks. It was supposed to be the 286th Zurich Derby, as the headlines say, and when you think about that number, the timeliness disappears behind an almost infinite series of events, big and small. The Zurich derby has seen better times, and then there is the eternal, vexing stadium issue in the city.

FCZ are already twelve points ahead of title favorites YB

The 286th edition of the Derby will hardly be remembered for long. But it seems that the rivalry between the two clubs is still very big, not so much on the field, but strangely among the fans in the ultra scene. Grasshopper Club supporters no longer felt safe being publicly identified as GC supporters, and there were several nasty attacks from FCZ fans.

It is known directly that forty to sixty FCZ supporters, some of whom are even said to be armed, attacked about a dozen GC supporters last Wednesday while they were practicing elaborate choreography for the derby. Things planned for the choreo were presented like the spoils of war in the south curve on Saturday afternoon in the middle of the first half.

FCZ fans hold up the GC flag in the Derby – like a wise person you shake your head. As a football fan, you are at the same time in awe of what is happening on the field. Just recently, after the 1-0 win in Bern against YB, there was talk of hope and redemption at the Grasshopper Club. Club representatives have spoken for a long time about the sad end after six complicated years and the 2018/19 relegation season.

With hardly any stone left in the FCZ from the 2022 championship title, the club is trying to reinvent itself. Many people in all areas of the company have been replaced, sports director Milos Malenovic has installed confidence everywhere, he is the strong figure in the structure and he rearranged the squad according to his wishes.

There are people throughout the club who speak of a calm, fearless atmosphere in the company, but also of a lot of energy and strength. Trainer Ricardo Moniz stands for this with his sometimes irritable but always confident demeanor. The president and owner of the club Ancillo Canepa recently said about the coach in the “Tages-Anzeiger”: “He is already the face of the new FCZ.”

After the 2-1 win against GC, FCZ are the leaders – twelve points ahead of title leader YB. World upside down? FC Zurich’s good start to the season may have surprised many. But the team seems to be stable and organized, it has a few strong key players like Cheick Condé in the middle of the field and the new striker Juan José Perea. The many transfers from all kinds of countries have no identity-creating effect, but that’s how football is in 2024. Perhaps among the many entries there are players who can be sold later for good money.

This is the business model in the Super League. It is the same as GC. The record champions completed their personnel planning very late, and one gets the impression that they managed to make some decent moves during the summer shopping season. For example with the South Korean attacker Lee Young Jun, however, his performance in the derby was miserable.

GC errors are effectively exploited

But after a disappointing first half, GC would earn a point against FCZ thanks to a much better performance after the break. Regarding the expected goals, it is clear that the Grasshoppers are ahead in the statistics (1.86 to 1.10), Tomás Verón Lupi and Giotto Morandi missed the best opportunities. Awer Mabil scored 1-2 for GC in the 61st minute, shortly after coming on as a substitute.

FCZ twice took advantage of the hesitant GC defense before the break, with Saulo Decarli in particular not challenging enough. Lindrit Kamberi, located in the middle of the field on the right for one time, and Antonio Marchesano scored for FCZ with precise long-range shots. Not goals that were expected, but ones that showed determination, determination and courage. Traits that coach Moniz demands from his footballers.

And so the Grasshoppers are very disillusioned after the end of the game; after ten rounds they are already thirteen points behind FCZ and already involved in the relegation battle. Captain Amir Abrashi spoke of “stupid mistakes,” and coach Marco Schällibaum said he was not nice to his players during the break – he immediately replaced Decarli.

FCZ coach Moniz is also a man of clear words. He called the first half perhaps the best under his leadership, but was concerned by the further decline in performance after the break. The FCZ may be flying too high right now. If the opponent combines quickly, the big, powerful defenders are in trouble.

Currently, FCZ is the best team when looking at the table. But from the outside you might feel that everything is a bit crossed and that other teams are stronger. But was it different in the championship season three years ago after FCZ’s unexpectedly successful start to the season?

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